Firearms, Conceal Carry and Politics from a Dads perspective.

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Monthly Archives: September 2015

Negligent Discharge

There are a number of videos like the one I linked above of people accidentally shooting themselves. Most of us sit and think, how or why. In the video, the shooter takes full responsibility for shooting himself and even does have a follow up video talking about what happen. If you have been through a carry class you probably have seen the video of the DEA agent in a classroom declaring his weapon safe then shooting himself in the foot. While some of these videos are funny to watch, remember they got hurt and lucky they are not dead.

Is it the guns fault or the shooter? It is very rare that a gun just goes off. Something had to pull the trigger or release the hammer. Modern firearms are literally dropped tested to make sure that they do not fire when dropped. Most of these “accidents” are user error. Thinking the gun is unloaded, unholstering or holstering with a finger on the trigger. In some cases clothing or the holster catches the trigger. In the video above, he was using a Serpa holster that requires a button to be pressed to release the gun from the holster, his finger hits the trigger when he draws the gun from the holster. With the DEA agent, he had the slide open to show it was clear, but had a full magazine loaded. So he releases the slide, which loaded the chamber, then has his finger on the trigger when he holsters, which pulls the trigger. Both instances are preventable.

In L.A, Police had increased reports of negligent discharges after they switched from Beretta 92’s to striker fired Glock’s and M&P’s. The reason was not the guns. It was their training. They were trained to draw their sidearm with their finger on the trigger. If you have fired either of these, you will know that the first pull on a Beretta is very heavy, most striker fired like the Glock have a easier pull. Since their finger is on the trigger, BANG.

There you have it. Practice drawing is important. Just make doubly sure that the gun is clear in the chamber and the mag is clear.

Teaching your kids to shoot is as important as teaching them to drive. Now I could have said to teach them about guns, but if you truly want to teach them, they need to see and feel what a firearm can do. I still remember the first time I ever shot a pistol. A 9mm hollow point verses a water jug. Seeing the little hole going in and the back completely split out really sunk in as to what it could do. Feeling the recoil and seeing the result. That is when I learned to respect what a firearm can do. Not what I saw in the movies or what people told me. I had to have the experience for myself.

I have heard too many stories of a kid finding their parents gun and bad things happen. To often the parent either tries to hide the gun from their kids or just tells them, don’t touch. If you tell a kid “don’t touch” what do you think they want to do? They get curious, guns look cool on TV, “I want to look cool”. Sheltering your kids will not keep them safe. Some advocate for no guns in the home. This is the same as just sheltering them, but worse, now the parent is being naive. Your kids friends parents and your own relatives may have firearms. You want to keep your kids safe, properly educate them.

Who should educate your kids about firearms? I can tell you with experience that the public schools will not. Most already are Anti-Second Amendment. Teaching that guns are taboo and evil. This is the liberal influences in our education system at work. The only exception to this is kinda rare. Some school districts actually have an NRA certified instructor teach firearm safety. Most are hunter safety classes.

Now most of you have either a carry permit or are thinking of getting one. Those carry classes are great for teaching gun safety. You can do a pretty good job teaching your kids from what you learn from there. Also, a lot of the instructors from the carry classes also have safety classes specifically for kids. That is something to seriously consider.

One thing I learned is that the more the kids are around firearms, the less curious and more comfortable they are in the presence of firearms. One thing I did after I got my permit was carry in front of my kids openly. They quickly got accustomed to the sight of the holstered gun. Now after a few years, its no big deal to them. I talked to them about it, taught them how to safely handle them. And above all, took them to the range to shoot.

One last thing and this is an important one. If that gun is not holstered on you, you LOCK IT UP. Don’t just trust your kids still will not get curious, and remember that your kids may have friends over in your house. So keep them secured.

Here is a fun tip. When you are watching movies or TV, point out when they mess up the gun safety. Finger on the trigger is the most notorious boo boo. Soon the kids will be catching it before you.

Kim Norton from the Minnesota House of Representatives. Is pushing for more gun control laws including gun registration and universal background checks. An article in the local paper says she wants to have a conversation about gun violence. What’s interesting here is now that gun owners are trying to have a “Conversation” she shuts them down saying this on her facebook page:

This FB page is intended to inform my constituents about my actions on their behalf. While interactive, I retain the right to delete non-constituents and combative, destructive or profane posts even from constituents-though will be judicious with those, as I am open to brief opinions no matter the position. For longer discussions, please use my official email: Rep.Kim.Norton@House.MN

She has been deleting the posts of anyone that is opposing her views. So much for the “conversation”. What she fails to see if even these people do not live in her district, they work and do business in her district. She is also saying that she is planning on not running for the MN House again so she can run for Rochester mayor. Not a good way to start that path is it.

So you parked your car and walk up to an establishment and see the “No guns allowed” sign. You look at your wife, tell her that you will be right back. Then you go back to your car and disarm. The whole time your grumbling under your breath. Something to the effect of “no sign would stop a bad guy anyway” We have all been there and said that.

We all know that criminals do not abide by the law so you know that the signs are only to keep the law abiding from legally carrying. All but one mass shooting in the past 20 years occurred in a “Gun Free Zone” (either a school or a gun ban posted facility) where the law abiding were all disarmed. How convenient for the bad guy.

Now every state has differing laws regarding “Gun Free Zones”. For some, its an arrest-able offense. Others, like Minnesota, there is not a whole lot of bite to it. If your caught and do not leave when asked to do so, then you could be trespassed. A whole $25 fine. Again, I remind you all to keep up with the local laws.

Now I am not saying ignore all the “Ban Gun” signs. But you really should look at this as do you really want to do business with a store, restaurant or company that believes that you do not have the right to self defense?

Most of these businesses post these signs legally, some however do not. Here in Minnesota, the law is very specific about the signs and what types of establishments can ban guns. Individual businesses can post signs, Landlords can not by law. This includes malls and hotels. But some post the signs anyway.

Some do not follow the law for their signs, Minnesota’s law states:

The requester has prominently posted a conspicuous sign at every entrance to the establishment containing the following language: “(INDICATE IDENTITY OF OPERATOR) BANS GUNS IN THESE PREMISES.”; or

(ii) the requester or the requester’s agent personally informs the person that guns are prohibited in the premises and demands compliance.

(2) “Prominently” means readily visible and within four feet laterally of the entrance with the bottom of the sign at a height of four to six feet above the floor.

(3) “Conspicuous” means lettering in black arial typeface at least 1-1/2 inches in height against a bright contrasting background that is at least 187 square inches in area.

Here are a couple examples of non-compliant signs.

The BWW sign is clear with white lettering and too low on the wall, the Mall of America has so many issues that it could be an article by it self.

So what to do? Some people live by the “concealed is concealed” and carry anyway. Others will disarm before entering. Then there is the third option, LEAVE. Do not do business with them.

There are a few companies that have stated publicly to not come in to their stores legally armed, but post no sign. Starbucks and Target are the well known ones. Those, either I just flat ignore and carry anyway, or I do not do business with them.

Now there are other companies that are fine with the legal carriers and proudly display it. Patronize those retailers, I do!

Schools and Government buildings are a totally different animal. Most Government buildings, you can not legally carry and the punishment can be harsh. Schools, it depends on what state your in. Some, like Minnesota, your OK only in your car in the parking lot. Other states, you can’t be within 1000 feet of school property legally armed. Again, know your local laws.

With the recent news about the Utah Supreme Court saying that employees have the right to self defense, it begs the question as to why employers have the stance that their employees should not defend themselves. In this case, the employees were trying to apprehend a shoplifter that, during the scuffle, is found to be armed. The employees were terminated. The employer stated that it is for the safety of the customers and their employees.

Many companies have a “no intervention” and “no weapons” policies. If a person is being attacked, call police, but do not intervene. And in some cases, they say it’s an offense that requires termination. So for many, this makes the employees have to make the hard decision, risk your job by intervening, or do nothing and live(?) with the outcome.

Best guess for this practice is the lawyers. These companies are more afraid of being sued than anything else including losing someones life. It’s far easier to allow the attack to happen and blame the attacker for it verses stopping it and get sued by the attacker.

Some jobs are more dangerous for the employee than others. Convenience store clerks and delivery drivers come to mind as they are typically forced to be unarmed and carry cash. This makes them an easy target. There are stories about these employees getting hurt or killed during robberies. Then there are the stories about a few employees that ignored their employers no weapons policy, and they are alive today because of it. They decided that their life was more important than the job. Some of these people lost their jobs because they defended themselves.

So what do we do? This is not an easy answer. For some people, they can’t risk losing their job. For others, being able to go home to their family is more important. This is a personal decision that each of us must make. When my son got a job delivering pizza, first thing I did was get him a knife to carry. He is too young to legally carry a firearm, but that knife is better than nothing. For myself, I choose self defense over my job. And, if I see someone being attacked I will intervene if possible. It is my choice, my life.

Keeping your gun out of the hands of the unauthorized is often a topic taken too lightly. Recently a local paper ran a story of a 15 year old that was in possession of a gun that he had stolen from a parked car. Fortunately, the teens father found it, took it and called police. In that piece, the Sheriffs department made a statement that you should never leave your gun in your car. Now, I agree partially, I would have stated, Never leave an unsecured gun in your car. There are times you will need to secure your gun in your car because you can’t take it in with you. Best example is when you are visiting a school or government building.

Properly storing is securing it in your car. Here are a couple examples of insecure storage. While they may be great for easy access if you need it in a hurry, but are not a secure way of storing it when you leave your car.

Now there are ways of securing your gun when you can’t carry it. Most states have storage and transportation laws for firearms, you need to be aware of those. Here in Minnesota, having your gun stored in your glove box in a locked car is considered as locked storage. Using a lock box that is secured to the car is a better option. Below are a couple examples. These are either bolted to the car or secured with a steel cable that can be attached to your seat frame.

Most thieves are not going to take the time to try to open either of these. Having it hidden and secured to the car, the chances of it getting stolen are slim.

Just remember, most guns used in crimes are obtained illegally, lets do our part to make sure ours are not part of that statistic.

You got your permit, bought that pistol, now how do you carry it? You will need a holster. Just sticking it in your pants is just begging to either injure or kill yourself. There are a number of articles and blogs that evaluate specific holsters, this is not one of them. Not all holsters work for everyone. Some people have the body type of a twig and others a keg. So lets talk about type of holsters a typical carrier should own and not specific brands.

Traditional outside the waistband holster (OWB)
Advantages – Works with the most body types, Comfortable, easiest to draw and re-holster.
Disadvantages – Hard to conceal without a cover garment. Sometimes interferes with trying to sit in a narrow chair. Typically requires a strong belt.

If your trying to be discreet, this is not the best option.

Inside the waist holster (IWB)
Advantages – Concealability. Typically does not interfere or snag clothes or chairs. Depending on the clothing, a belt may not be needed.
Disadvantages – Comfort, depending on fit and gun, may dig into your side. Requires room in your pants, so you may need a larger size. Harder to draw from, especially the tuckable versions.

If concealablity is important, this is the best option.

There are other holster types that are not as common and honestly, I don’t own. Shoulder rigs and ankle holsters specifically. I have never needed one.

Now, I have purchased a number of holsters over the years, I recommend that you have both a OWB and a IWB for each of your carry guns. It was typical for me to wear an OWB and have the IWB in the car so I could switch if needed.

Whatever holster you buy, make sure that it has good retention, either by friction or thumb break. Make sure it fits the model you carry and when holstered, that the trigger guard is covered. And lastly, (with the gun unloaded and clear chamber) practice drawing and re-holstering.

Beyond this it is all personal preference. Leather, plastic, Kydex it is all up to you.

It came out today that Presidential candidate, of the donkey persuasion, Martin O’Malley of Maryland wants to take on guns. Specifically targeting the NRA and violating the Constitutional rights of Americans. His plan has its flaws, but here it is.

Gun Registration – Self explanatory, the government would know what you have, when you have it and where.

Required safety training prior to purchase – This is for the purchase, not for carry.

Change the government procurement process – This is to force the manufactures to sell guns that the government wants available to its citizens, like “smart” guns.

Now, as for the flaws there are many.

Universal Background Checks and Gun registration. You can’t have one without the other. This would make legal gun owners a criminal almost immediately. Imagine going to the gun range and handing your kid your rifle to target shoot. You just broke the law because you didn’t run the required background check and report the transfer to the government. Both New York and Connecticut have gun registration required for modern sporting rifles (assault rifles according to the gun control nuts) and the majority of the legal gun owners have not complied with registering their arms. Besides, you think the criminals are going to go down and register their arms?

Waiting periods and required safety class for purchase. Basically a tactic to make the purchase more expensive and tedious to deter the gun purchase by the law abiding. While I do recommend safety classes for obvious reasons, making it a requirement is a delay tactic and can be expensive. Long waiting periods, like the one that New Jersey has, has kept law abiding people from getting the arms they need to defend themselves. The best known example is Carol Brown. She was killed during the waiting period for her gun purchase by a man she had a restraining order against.

Now the change to the government procurement process is basically a backdoor gun ban. The government wound be able to force the gun manufacturers to only sell the guns that the government approves to the public, or lose government contracts. This way they could force the manufacturers to only sell “Smart guns” and with other features that they approve of. Say bye to the AR15, standard capacity magazines and just about anything semi-auto. The “smart” features would likely double or triple the cost of the price. The only commercially available smart gun was the Armitrix from Germany. It was a great gun if you look past the the child’s toy looks, .22 cal only ammo and the 10 % failure to fire rate. It was so good that it is no longer sold here. Wonder why?

O’Malleys plan is not that much different that what has been pushed for in the past. It would do little to crime rate, the majority of gun owners would ignore the registration requirement anyway. Not to mentions it fails on constitutional grounds. There is not a waiting period or a registration requirement to practice your religion or even for me to write this.

Keep an eye out for more of these idiot politicians pushing out these plans in the next year as we get closer to elections. Only the law abiding voters can keep these plans where they belong… Burning in my fire-pit BBQing my hot dog.

About 2 weeks ago it was all over the news about the murders of the reporter and camera man in Virginia. This is a tragedy and I feel for the families. However, in typical fashion, politicians of the donkey persuasion, immediately were making comments that the government needs stricter gun background checks as if those measures would have made any difference yesterday if they were in place. The fact is that the pols made the comments before any information was released as to how the bad guy got the gun. We have learned he passed the required state and fed background checks and did so over 6 weeks before the shooting! There was nothing in his past that would flagged a denial for purchase.

As tragic as this is, there were others shot and killed elsewhere that the media were really ignoring. A cop was killed in Louisiana responding to a domestic stabbing and 2 killed / 8 wounded in the gun control zone named Chicago. But the media is fixated on the “high profile” story.

Lets not blame the Racist, gay man that was bent on revenge for being fired (again) but the tool he chose to use. Makes perfect sense doesn’t it? Its like blaming the airplane that hit the WTC and not the terrorist. Or the Ryder truck and not the bomber in OK City.

People, there is evil in this world and no amount of laws governing the law abiding is going to stop that evil from attacking the innocent. All we can do is be prepared for the worst, and pray that our aim is straight when we need it.